Horizontal range-finder.



No. 861,331. PA'TENTED JULY 30, 1.907.

A. SWASBY; HORIZONTAL RANGE FINDER.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l- W i L 1 Witnesse s: Inventor 1 Amrosa Swasey l: I By his Attorney W WJ PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

A- SWASEY. HORIZONTAL RANGE FINDER.

APPLICATION TILED APE.20, 1906.

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y Witnesses v Inventor:

' g {Q Ambrose Swascy H By his Attorney;

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PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

. A. SWASEY. HORIZONTAL RANGE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED APB-20, 1903.

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ll HI' Witnesses:

A 7726)?956 Q 5 By his Attorney v THE NORRIS PETERS c0.. wnsnmcmzv, v. c.

PATBNTED JULY 30. 1907.

SWA'SEY. HORIZONTAL RANGE FINDER.

' APPLIOATION IILED APR 20, 1906 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

In ventor: Amlrosa Swasey By his Attorney Z Witnesses.-

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Inventor Amrose Swasey 3) bis Attorney Witnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE SWASEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WARNER & SWASEY COMPANY,

or CLEVELAND, 01-110,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

HORIZONTAL RANGE-FINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed April 20,1906. Serial No. 312,742.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBRosE SWASEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horizontal Range- Finders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to distance instruments or range finders of the type or character known as double observation instruments; the range being determined by sighting the object from two opposite and remote points on the instrument and then ascertaining the relation of the angle of the two sighting lines on the'object to the base line of the triangle which is the line joining the focal points of the two sighting members. In the present invention, one of these sighting elements is supported to rotate on an axis that is substantially vertical. And it is operably connected with a range indicator, whereby an extremely small angular motion may be given to the sighting element by a comparatively large movement of the range indicator. And the indications that are laid out on the indicator directly give the range or distance of the object sighted as the sighting device is adjusted to focus on such object.

In the accompanying drawings representing an instrument embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view, with certain central parts broken away showing other parts in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the range drum and connecting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section showing the same parts illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the support for the tilting prism, being on the line 55 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5, partly in section; being taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a diagram indicating the use of the instrument. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the relative position of the optical elements of the instrument. Fig. 11 shows the relative position of the deflecting prisms from front elevation. Figs. 12 and 13 indicate the relative positions of two portions of the object as seen in the eye-piece; and Fig. 14 shows the mechanism for swinging the telescope on its supporting arms.

The instrument is mounted on a supporting plate P, and its base member B is pivotally mounted on the plate I? by means of a ball member 1 turning in a socket 2, whereby the base B can be adjusted on the plate P by suitable leveling screws 3, to set the base in a true horizontal position; which may be indicated by levels V, W, on the base.

on a horizontal axis, by having bearings in two upright arms 7 and 8 extending upward from the base B. The casing is arranged to be turned by means of a toothed segment 9 secured to the casing and having its teeth engaging the threads of a screw 10 on a spindle 11, that is rotatable in a bearing member 12 fast on the arm 8. The spindle is rotated by a head 13 which will swing the casing 4. Such movement can be indicated by means of a pointer 14, on a stationary piece 15 fast to the arm 8, which pointer registers with lines on a plate 16 fast on the segment arm 9.

The arms 5 and 6 are in alinement, and each carry a deflecting element, which in the present instance is a right angled prism. The arm 5 of the telescope has a right angled prism 20 secured in a suitable casing 21.. This prismhas one of its perpendicular sides 22 extending at a right angle to the axis of the tube 5, with the other perpendicular side 23 in alinement with said tube. The hypotenuse side 24' is exposed to receive an image in a path substantially at right angles to the axis of the tube 5. By this arrangement the image will be deflected ninety degrees and projected axially through the tube 5; as indicated in Fig. 10. The other arm 6 of the telescope member, that extends in alinement with the tube 5, carries a right angled prism 25 secured in a frame 26, as shown in Fig. 8. This prism is pivotally mounted at 28 in a casing 27 secured on the end of the tube 6. The prism 25 is arranged with one of its perpendicular sides 29 approximately at a right angle with the axis of the tube 6; the other perpendicular side 30 being in alinement with the tube. The inclined side 31 is arranged relative to the prism 20 so that the image is received on the inclined side in a path approximately parallel with the path of said prism, and whereby the swinging of the prism on its pivotal support 28 will permit this prism to be sighted on the same object as that upon which the other prism is sighted. The images from these two prisms are deflected through the tubes 5 and 6 toward the middle portion of the casing 4 in substantial alinement. At the central part of this casing are placed suitable deflecting elements to receive these two images, and deflect them into an eye-piece member 32, as indicated in the diagram of Fig. 10. These deflecting elements are shown as comprising two horizontally superposed prisms arranged to divide the image received from each of the tube prisms. The upper deflector 33 will receive the upper part of the image from the prism 20 and project it into the eye-piece. The lower dcflector 34 will receive the lower portion or half of the image from the prism 25, that is, a complemental part of the image; and project it also forward into the eyepiece. These deflectors in the present instance are shown as formed of right angled prisms, and are so arranged as to receive the images coming in substantial alinement from the prisms, and to transmit them into a single eye-piece 32. Suitable additional optical elements are introduced between the end prisms and the intermediate prisms; in the present instance magnifying lenses M, and erecting lenses E are interposed between said prisms that will produce the required enlargement and inversion of the image to cause it to appear in its normal position, and of suitable dimensions, in the eye piece. The base member B carries an indicating disk 35 having graduations that are visible through a window 36 in the base as the base is rotated. The instrument can be swung on vertical axis by'means of a screw shaft 37 that meshes with gear teeth 38 on the periphery of the disk 35, the screw being rotated by a suitable handle 39.

For the purpose of swinging the prism 25 on its axis and indicating a very small angular movement thereof, it is operatively connected with a suitable range indicator. In a casing 75 projecting from the casing 4, a shaft 40 is rotatably mounted in bearings 41 and 42. On this shaft is secured a range indicating drum 43. This drum and'shaft may be rotated by means of a shaft 44 operable by head 45, which shaft carries a bevel gear 46 meshing with a bevel gear 47 fast on the shalt 40. The rotation of the drum is indicated by means of a pointer or arm 48 hinged on the end of a lever 49 that is pivoted on a bracket 50 in the casing 75. This lever has a toothed segment 51 that engages a worm 52 fast on the shaft 40. By this means, as the drum rotates, the pointer will travel from edge to edge over its surface and follow a spiral line thereon, whereby a large number of graduations can be plainly indieated. The extremity of the arm 48 has a cross arm 53 whose ends slide in a slotted bar 54, whereby the pointer is guided to move adjacent the drum.

A shaft 55 is rotatable in a bearing 56 carried by the casing 75, and another bearing 57 mounted on a casing 58 fast on the tube 5. On one end of the shaft 55 is secured a bevel gear 59 that meshes with a bevel gear 60 fast on the drum shaft 40. In the casing 58 is a bent lever 61, the arm 62 of which is engaged by a threaded sleeve 63. The sleeve has a slot 73 in its bore, into which extends the extremity of the shaft 55; that has a rib 74 extending in said slot 73. By'this means the rotation of the shaft 55 will rotate the screw, and the latter being supported in a correspondingly threaded bore 64 in the casing 58, will be advanced or retracted by the rotation of the shaft. One of the pivots of the prism frame 26 comprises a stud 65 projecting through the casing 27 and secured to a lever 66 whereby the swinging of the lever will tilt the prism. The other end of the lever 66 is pressed against the arm 67 of the bell crank by. means of a spring plunger 68 mounted in a suitable box 69 fast on the casing 58. By this means, the rotation of the shaft 55 will positively swing the lens in one direction, while the rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction will effect the swinging of the prism in the opposite direction through the medium of the spring plunger 68. Lateral movement of the lever 66 is prevented by means of guides 70 and 71 fast in the casing 58.

To calibrate the instrument, the receiving prism 20 on the arm 5 is rigidly secured to sight an object at a right angle with the axis of the tube 5. The movable prism 25 is so connected with the indicator drum that when it is sighted or focused on an object whose line of sight is at a right angle to the axis of the tubes 5 and 6, the indicator will register at the zero mark. The instrument is first leveled up; and then rotated in the horizontal plane by the screw 37, and also in the vertical plane by the adjusting screw 10 until the object will be sighted in the eye piece 32. The comparatively great distance of an object, at from 1,000 to 12,000 yards, and the comparatively small distance apart of the sighting elements or prisms 20 and 25, a few feet, will cause the image to have its upper and lower parts projected into the eye piece by the double prism 33 and 34. But the two latter. prisms are so arranged relatively to the prisms 20 and 25 that the two.complemental portions of a vertical member, such as a flag pole, will not be in alinement, in the correct position as shown in Fig. 13, but they will appear offset, as shown in Fig. 12. The instrument is now adjusted on its horizontal swing to move the optical elements which will cause the image as a whole to move across the eye piece, which can bring one of the complemental sections of the image into alinement with a vertical cross wire in the eye piece. Thereupon, by turning the range indicator through its operating head 45, the prism 25 will be swung on its axis, and the complemental portion of the image reflected by the prism 25 will move horizontally across the eye piece, and can be brought to register with the other complemental part, and produce the correct image. The pointer on the range drum will have moved a certain distance during this adjustment, which distance is directly proportional to the range of the object. x Such range being ascertained by measurement, this indication is marked on the drum. If an object nearer than the said object is next sighted, the prism 25 would have to be further shifted to bring the two complemental portions of the image to register in the eye piece. The range of the latter object is then recorded on the drum. In this manner the drum can be calibrated for all ranges within the limits of its movement. From this it follows that when it is desired to determine the range of any object the instrument hasonly to be sighted upon the object and the drum and prism adjusted until the complemental portions of the image register in the eye piece, when the pointer on the drum will indicate the precise range of the object. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a range finder, the combination of a supporting member, an eye piece member on-the supporting member, two sighting devices mounted on the supporting member and arranged to be sighted on the same object and to project the images simultaneously into the eye piece member, one of said sighting devices having its image receiving member that is directed towards the object supported to be swung on an axis coincident with the central part of its deflecting surface; to sight objects at different ranges, an arm secured to said sighting device, a bent lever pivotally supported, a spring plunger arranged to press the arm against the bentlever, a shaft supported to rotate, a range drum fast on said shaft, operating spindle arranged to swing said shaft, a member having a threaded bore, a threadedsleeve rotating in said bore and arranged to en gage the bent lever, a second shaft rotative from the drum shaft, and extending into the threaded sleeve, a key on the shaft engaging the sleeve bore to permit advance of the sleeve upon rotation of the shaft, to thereby rock the bent lever and swing the arm and deflecting member connected therewith upon rotation of the range drum and shaft.

- 2. In a range finder, the combination of a supporting member, an eye piece member on the supporting member, two sighting devices mounted on the supporting member and arranged to be sighted on the same object and to project the images simultaneously into the eye piece, one of said sighting devices including a right angled prism that is directed towards the object, the prism being pivotally supported to be swung on an axis coincident with the central part of its reflecting surface; to sight objects at different ranges, an arm secured to said prism, a bent lever pivotally supported, a spring plunger arranged to press the arm against the bent lever, a shaft supported to rotate, a range drum fast on said shaft, operating spindle arranged to swing said shaft, a member having a threaded bore, a threaded sleeve rotating in said bore and arranged to engage the bent lever, a second shaft rotative from the drum shaft, and shaft extending into the threaded sleeve, a key on the shaft engaging the sleeve bore to permit advance of the sleeve upon rotation of the shaft, to thereby rock the bent lever and swing the arm and prism connected therewith upon rotation of the range drum and shaft.

In a range finder, the combination of a supporting member, an eye piece member .on the supporting member, two sighting devices mounted on the supporting member and arranged to he sighted on the same object and to project the images simultaneously into the eye piece, one of said sighting devices having its image receiving member that is directed towards the object supported to be given a tilting movement on an axis coincident with the central part of its deflecting surface to thereby adjust to sight objects at different ranges, said deflector being movable on a pivotal axis, an arm secured to said deflector, a bent lever pivotally supported, a spring plunger arranged to press the arm against the bent lever, a shaft supported to rotate, a range drum fast on said shaft, an operating spindle arranged to swing said shaft, a supporting member having a threaded bore, a threaded sleeve rotatable in said bore.and arranged to engage the bent lever, a second shaft rotative from the drum shaft, and extending into the threaded sleeve, a key on the shaft engaging the sleeve bore to permit advance of the sleeve upon rotation of the shaft, to thereby rock the bent lever and swing the arm and deflecting member connected therewith upon rotation of the range drum and shaft, an indicating arm arranged adjacent the range drum, and means for advancing the arm by the rotation of the drum to cause the end of the arm to move transversely across the drum as rotated.

4. In a range finder, the combination of a supporting tube, an eye piece at the intermediate part of the tube, a pair of deflectors mounted one at each end of the tube and arranged to sight images from the same object toward the intermediate part of the tube, deflectors at the intermediate part of the tube arranged to receive said images and project them into the eye piece, one of said end de flectors being pivoted on an axis coincident'with its reflecting surface at its intermediate portion, a lever secured to said deflector and projecting toward the intermediate part of the tube, a range indicator rotatably mounted at the intermediate part of the tube, a shaft rotated from the indicator extending longitudinally into the tube from the range drum into proximity to said lever, and operative connecting means between said shaft and lever whereby the rotation of the drum will cause the lever to swing the deflecting member.

In a range finder, the combination of a supporting tube, an eye piece at the intermediate part of the tube, a

pair of deflectors mounted one at each end of the tube and arranged to sight images from the same object toward the intermediate part of the tube, deflectors at the intermediate part of the tube arranged to receive said images and project them into the eye piece, one of said end deflectors being pivoted on an axis coincident with its reflecting surface at its intermediate portion, a lever secured to said deflector and projecting toward the intermediate part of the tube, a range indicator rotatably mounted at the intermediate part of the tube, a shaft rotated from the indicator extending longitudinally into the tube from the range drum into proximity to said lever, a bent lever engaging said lever, means for swinging the bent lever from the rotation of the shaft, and a spring plunger arranged to press the said lever and bent lever together.

6. In a range finder, the combination of a tube with a support, a pair of deflecting members mounted one at each end of the support to project images from -the same object toward the intermediate part of the tube, an eye piece at the intermediate part of the tube, deflecting members ar ranged to receive the images from said deflectors and project them into the eye piece, one of said end deflectors being pivotally mounted, a lever secured to said deflector extending through the tube, a shaft carrying a range drum and rotatably mounted in the tube, a shaft rotatably con nected with said shaft and extending longitudinally through the tube, a bent lever in the tube engaging said lever, a member connected with said longitudinal shaft and engaging the l nt lever, said member being reciprocated by the rotation of the shaft to rock said levers and swing the deflecting member and a spring member rotaining said levers in contact.

AMBROSE SWASEY.

Witnesses:

L. P. Smurrnn, F. H. RICE. 

